Senior Human Resources Operations Manager

Mission Produce•Oxnard, CA

13d•$125,000 - $158,000

About The Position

The Senior HR Operations Manager is responsible for transforming and modernizing the organization’s HR operational infrastructure. This role focuses on redesigning end-to-end processes, migrating legacy paper- and spreadsheet-based workflows into Workday, establishing a consistent and scalable employee experience, and ensuring compliance across all HR touchpoints. This role partners deeply with the HRIS function to translate business needs into system-enabled processes and ensure Workday functionality aligns with operational goals. The ideal candidate is a systems thinker who excels at building structure where it does not exist, managing complex change, and optimizing the employee lifecycle through data-driven, technology-enabled solutions.

Requirements

7+ years of HR Operations and HR transformation experience.
Proven experience redesigning HR processes and driving operational change.
Experience implementing or scaling an HRIS (Workday preferred) in partnership with system owners.
Strong understanding of multi-state employment law and compliance, particularly CA, TX, NJ, CO, OR, IL, FL, and GA.
Ability to simplify complex workflows and design efficient, user-friendly HR processes.
Excellent analytical, documentation, and project management skills.
High comfort with ambiguity and building from the ground up.
Process-oriented with a bias toward standardization and automation.
Strong communicator with excellent interpersonal skills.
Comfortable leading cross-functional initiatives and driving accountability.
Detail-oriented while maintaining the ability to think systemically.
Values transparency, clarity, and operational excellence.

Nice To Haves

Experience in high-growth, fast-scaling environments or agriculture/distribution sectors.
Experience developing playbooks, SOPs, and operational frameworks.

Responsibilities

HR Operations Transformation & Process Redesign Lead the modernization of HR operations from manual, paper-based processes to streamlined digital workflows.
Map, audit, and redesign all People team processes (hire-to-retire), removing friction and reducing administrative load.
Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), workflows, and documentation for all HR processes.
Implement consistent service delivery practices, including SLAs, intake workflows, and escalation pathways.
Use Lean, Six Sigma, or similar frameworks to drive process efficiency and reduce waste.
Workday Process Enablement Partner with the HRIS Manager/system team to operationalize Workday across the People function.
Translate business requirements into system requirements to ensure Workday supports HR operational goals.
Lead user acceptance testing (UAT), change requests, and validation activities in collaboration with HRIS and IT.
Serve as the primary “business owner” for Workday process adoption across HR (not the system admin).
Develop and deliver Workday process training for HR team members, managers, and employees.
Data, Reporting, Analytics & Compliance Oversee data governance, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and timely maintenance of employee data.
Create and standardize reporting templates for People team operations and compliance needs.
Ensure adherence to federal, state, and local employment regulations (multi-state).
Support audit readiness and partner with Legal/Finance as needed on documentation and regulatory requirements.
Oversee secure and compliant digital record-keeping, retention schedules, and access protocols.
Employee Lifecycle Operations Own core administrative processes including onboarding, offboarding, promotions, status changes, and employee records maintenance.
Partner with Talent Acquisition to streamline handoffs and ensure a cohesive new-hire experience.
Ensure operational consistency in employee relations documentation, workflows, and follow-ups.
Drive continuous improvement across employee lifecycle touchpoints.
HR Service Delivery & Change Management Build and implement HR service delivery models to scale with organizational growth.
Establish shared service mechanisms such as ticketing systems, knowledge bases, and automated workflows.
Lead change management efforts for HR initiatives, ensuring adoption across the organization.
Provide coaching and training to HR business partners, managers, and stakeholders on new operational practices.
Cross-Functional Partnership Partner with Legal, Finance, IT, and department leaders to align HR operations with broader organizational priorities.
Support HR leadership with strategic initiatives, operational planning, and communication frameworks.
Drive alignment and communication between HR teams (TA, ER, L&D, HRIS).